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Natural Flea Control for Pets
Why
should you use natural flea control for pets?
 “Caution: Hazards to humans and
domestic animals… Avoid contact with eyes, skin or clothing. Wash
thoroughly with soap and water after handling.”
We found this on the label of one of the first
flea control products on a major pet store’s website. Avoid contact
with domestic animals’ SKIN? WHAT? Isn’t that what the product is made
for?
It gets worse.
Survival of the fittest applies to
fleas as it does to all other living things. Those fleas that survive
the poison do so because they are resistant to it. Then they give birth
to more fleas that are also resistant to it. The poison also
weakens your dog. Since fleas are attracted to weak pets, making your
dog weaker with synthetic flea products only compounds the problem.
So what should you do?
If you do have a flea problem…
First, don’t feel badly. Natural flea control for
pets is one of the most common inquiries we receive – welcome to the
club!
Second,  keep to the schedule – weekly,
monthly, etc. as indicated - for the best (and least harmful)
results
Note that the home mixtures and product
recommendations are NOT meant for puppies. Puppies can develop more
severe problems related to fleas, so if your pet is less than 4 months
old you should consult your vet immediately. When using any products,
be sure to follow the directions closely.
How
to Tell if Your Dog Has Fleas
If you are unsure if your dog has fleas:
- Look closely at the base of your dog's hair,
especially around the neck, ears, legs and at the base of their tail.
Fleas are small, black, quick-moving insects. Also look for flea dirt
(flea droppings).
- Place a damp paper towel on the floor and have
your dog stand on top of it. Then comb your dog with a flea
comb – if you see small
specks of black that turn red with moisture (flea dirt), you know your
dog has fleas.
| In their November 2000 report, the Natural
Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recommended that the EPA ban
the use of an entire class of flea and tick control products – those
using organophosphates (OP). In the same report the NRDC endorses
natural flea control for pets.
The seven OP’s are chlorpyrifos, diazinon,
dichlorvos, malathion, naled, phosmet and tetrachlorvinphos.
Although not cited in the NRDC’s report,
also stay away from borax, borates, desiccants and rotenone.
Click here for the report’s list
of EPA registered pet products containing organophosphates insecticides
(about 2/3 of the way down the page).
|
(back to top)
Prevention:
Natural Flea Control for Pets Starts Here
Natural remedies for flea control should always take precedence over
chemical treatments. The easiest way to “stay natural” is to discourage
fleas by keeping your dog healthy through:
- Natural dog food diet
- Regular grooming,
bathing and exercise
- Routine visits to your vet
 |
Taylor Tips!
I eat right, stay clean, exercise and get regular check-ups. Even with
my shaggy hair, I've never had a single flea! |
Let’s review how else you can prevent fleas for
both indoor and outdoor pets…
Indoor Pets
On a weekly basis, you should thoroughly clean
your dog and home. For your dog, see our recommendation at
the bottom of the page for the best
flea and tick shampoo.  Vacuum
and clean the floors, especially where your dog sleeps. To kill any
unseen developing fleas, wash your dog bed in soapy, hot water, rinse
in cold water then dry on high heat. Adding 10 drops of eucalyptus or
lavender oil to the wash will act as natural flea repellent.
You should also steam clean your carpets at the
beginning of flea season (spring) or whenever you are starting your
prevention efforts. Also try a flea
and tick room spray or fogger for more aggressive flea
prevention.
Natural Flea Repellents
-Clary sage
-Eucalyptus
-Fennel
-Garlic
-Lavender
-Peppermint
-Rosemary
-Rue
-Wormwood
-Yeast
-Yellow Dock |
Outdoor Pets
Follow the same advice for outdoor pets, in
addition to keeping a weekly lawn care schedule: Mow your lawn to allow
sunlight to reach heat and kill flea larvae and water your lawn to
drown fleas.
Encourage ants (!), or at least don’t try to do
away with them through pesticides as they serve as natural flea control
for pets by eating the developing fleas.
Finally, use an effective
flea and tick yard spray to round out your outdoor flea
control efforts.
There are also dog
aromatherapy blends available for prevention and control.
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Mild to Moderate Flea
Problem
If you already have a flea problem, try these tips first in
addition to the "Prevention: Natural Flea
Control for Pets Starts Here" recommendations above.
 Daily
(or at least twice per week)
Flea
comb
your dog at least twice per week,
possibly daily, paying special attention to the head, neck,
back and rear-end.
As fleas come off your dog and onto the
comb, dip the comb in hot, soapy water then rinse in cool, clean water.
When done, pour soapy water down drain (not
outside)
Next, search your dog's skin for any flea bites. The skin in
and around the area of a bite may have a small bump or appear red or
swollen.
If your dog has been bitten, first clean the effected area with a safe
and natural solution. Clenzor from Native Remedies works
great.
Once the area is cleaned, observe your dog to find out if there is any
discomfort around the bites. Are they scratching or biting at
the area? If so, you can ease their discomfort with a natural
cream such as FleaDerm.
Weekly
- Take extra measures when vacuuming.
Since fleas are small enough to sometimes
survive being vacuumed (tough little buggers), vacuum cleaner bags
should be burned or frozen in an airtight bag before disposal.
- Give your dog a bath with natural
pet shampoo
specially made using a natural flea control recipe.
 Make sure that the shampoo you use is especially
made for pets and
contains only natural ingredients.
For added protection, you can add peppermint,
lavender, clary sage or lemon to your dog shampoo if it does not
already contain it. The proper
amount to add of each is 10 drops/100 ml.
- Try using either a store-bought
product or homemade
natural flea control recipe such as the following:
Natural Flea Control Recipe
- Combine one part of as many of the
following powdered herbs as possible:
- Eucalyptus
- Rosemary
- Fennel
- Yellow Dock
- Wormwood
- Rue
- Put mixture in shaker-top jar
- Apply the flea powder to your dog’s fur
by brushing backwards and sprinkling it into the base of the hair
(especially focus on the neck, back and belly).
- Immediately take your dog outside so the
vacating fleas don’t wind up on your floor.
- Use this natural flea control recipe as
frequently as necessary, up to many times per week for more serious
infestations.
Note: Some herbal flea powders contain natural pyrethrins. While this
is not a good flea killer, it is still a good natural flea control for
pets as it does a great job warding them off. |
Twice Per Year
- Sprinkle unrefined, natural diatomaceous earth
anywhere you cannot clean or the vacuum cannot reach. It is harmless to
humans and pets, but it kills fleas by drying out their skin.
- Do not use it directly on your pet. As with
any fine powder, inhaling it can irritate the nasal passages.
- Important note: Do NOT use the diatomaceous
earth made for swimming pool filters.
Other Natural Remedies for Flea Control:
- Add plenty of garlic and yeast (brewer’s or
nutritional) to your dog’s diet
- There are mixed reviews about how well this
works, but those who support it feel that it works best with healthy
dogs.
- Apply a skin tonic created using a natural flea
control for pets recipe. You can either use the flea
and tick mist
recommended at the bottom of the page or create your own. In
addition to its use as a flea repellent,
the renowned Juliette de Bairacli Levy recommends this lemon skin tonic
for use as a treatment
for mange and as a general skin toner:
Juliette de Bairacli Levy’s Lemon Skin
Tonic
- Thinly slice a lemon along with the rind
- Add it to 1 pint of near-boiling water,
then let it steep overnight
- Sponge the solution onto your dog’s skin
and let it dry
- Apply as frequently as daily
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- Natural flea control for pets made with
limonene and other citrus extracts is okay for adult dogs but should
NOT be
 used with puppies as it can be toxic,
especially when combined with other flea products.
- Repellent herbs
- Lavender – sprinkle around bedding or use a
lavender pillow
- Plant fennel, sage or wormwood near the
kennel
- Essential Oil Flea Collars
- They do not kill fleas; they only repel
them. If a more severe infestation has occurred or if your dog has been
diagnosed with flea allergy dermatitis, essential oil flea collars may
not be effective.
(back to top)
Major or Chronic Flea
Problem
Natural remedies for flea control work well as a preventative measure
and for mild to moderate flea problems. They are NOT effective if your
dog is allergic to fleas or if you have a severe infestation.
In the case of a major or chronic flea problem, use the products listed
in the next section below as any herbs or homemade recipes will be too
weak to solve the problem.
Here are details about what is contained in some of the products along
with some other ideas to consider:
- Have your carpets treated annually with
anti-flea mineral salt. This gets away from natural flea control for
pets, so discuss the level of toxicity of individual products with the
specific service provider that you use. Different salts can have
different levels of toxicity.
- Consider fogging
your house with an insect
growth regulator (IGR). Send your dog away on the same day to be
cleaned to be sure that you get rid of any freeloaders.
- Even though they are not natural, IGR’s are
low chemical, safe and one of the most effective products out there.
They work by preventing the flea from
 developing into an adult.
- The least toxic flea control insecticide is
pyrethrum (several of the products at the bottom
of this page use it) – sometimes called permethrin or
pyrethrins (comes from the
chrysanthemum flower).
- For the best effect, use products labeled
“slow-release” and use them at the same time as you are using the
diatomaceous earth or other carpet treatment system.
- Parasitic nematodes are small worms that eat
flea larvae. Since fleas have a very limited range of mobility, these
are especially good if fleas are coming from a small patch in the yard
or garden.
- Electric flea traps emit heat to attract fleas
to sticky paper and are also effective for a small, localized flea
problem.
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Best
Natural Flea Control Treatments and Products
If you have a flea problem or are trying to avoid
one, you need to combat the problem on three fronts:
- Your dog
- Your home
- Your yard
1. For your dog,
first you need to figure out
whether or not they have fleas. Use a flea comb as instructed
in the "how to tell if your dog has fleas"
section above.
If your dog has been bitten, first clean the affected area with
Clenzor. If your dog is still scratching or biting, you can
ease their discomfort by applying a natural cream called FleaDerm.
Whether your dog has fleas or not, also go with both the Flea &
Tick
Mist with IGR AND the SynergyLabs Flea & Tick Pet Shampoo as
they are effective for extermination and prevention.
The mist is water based, so it is
great even
for dogs with sensitive skin. Use it when you think your dog
will be in places where fleas and ticks are likely to be present.
Use the shampoo to protect your dog from future fleas and to
kill them if they are already calling your dog home.
Flea Comb
|
Safari Double Sided Nylon Flea Comb
- Beige - $ 0.45
Durable nylon flea combs are an item that every pet owner should have
on hand. The periodic use of a flea comb is a good way to detect the
presence of fleas on your dog or cat.
If fleas are detected, measures
should be taken to eradicate them (see below natural flea control
products). Flea combs are not a substitute for
a routine flea treatment regimen, but can and should be used in
conjunction and for special circumstances. |
Flea Bite Cleaning and Soothing
Cream
 |
FleaDerm for Flea Bite Dermatitis
- from $34.95
FleaDerm is a natural soothing cream to relieve common flea bites on
dogs and cats.
FleaDerm Benefits:
- Support skin health naturally
- Reduce scratching
- Soothe the skin surrounding common flea
bites in pets
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Flea & Tick Mist
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Adams Plus Flea Tick Mist with IGR
- 16oz Bottle - $9.56
Adams Plus Flea & Tick Mist with IGR (Insect Growth Regulator)
provide an additional barrier to insect growth.
Adams Plus Flea & Tick Mist with IGR kills fleas, flea eggs,
flea larvae, ticks, and mosquitoes for up to three months. Use on dogs,
cats, pet bedding, carpets, and furniture. Safe for use on dogs over 6
months of age and cats over 7 months of age. DO NOT USE on cats less
than 7 months or dogs less than 6 months old.
|
Flea & Tick Shampoo
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SynergyLabs Flea and Tick Pet Shampoo
- 17 oz - $6.99
SynergyLabs Flea and Tick Pet Shampoo has up to 3 times more active
ingredients than competing brands and kills fleas and ticks on contact.
SynergyLabs Flea and Tick Pet Shampoo's pet friendly formula is safe
for dogs, cats, puppies & kittens over 12 weeks old and is
specially pH balanced and formulated to leave no sticky residue just a
clean & shiny coat.
Contains Pyrethrum which is derived from
flowers. Fresh scent will leave your pet smelling fresh & clean.
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2.
For your home,
Virbac's Knockout formula will do
the trick. It contains pyrethrins and permethrin, along with Insect
Growth Regulator (IGR). Use the area treatment if you only
want to focus on a specific area of your home or yard, and use the
fogger if you are trying to cover a larger area.
Specific Area Treatment
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Virbac Knockout Flea and Tick Area Treatment
- 14 oz - $9.47
Virbac Knockout Flea and Tick Area Treatment kills adult fleas and
ticks and controls pre-adult fleas (larvae) for 120 days. Contains a
unique combination of ingredients that kills both adult and pre-adult
fleas before they bite. With Nylar (Pyriproxyfen) insect growth
regulator, it continues to kill fleas for 120 days (4 months) by
preventing their development into the adult biting stage.
Virbac Knockout Flea and Tick Area Treatment is a one treatment spray
that gives continuous flea protection for 120 days and reaches fleas
hidden in carpets, rugs, drapes, upholstery, pet bedding, and floor
cracks. Leaves no objectionable odor or sticky mess and, used as
directed, does not stain furnishings.
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Larger Area Treatment
|
Virbac Knockout Flea and Tick Room Fogger
- 6 oz - $7.49
Virbac Knockout Flea and Tick Room Fogger kills adult and pre-adult
fleas, including flea eggs for up to 7 months . With Nylar
(Pyriproxyfen) insect growth regulator, Knockout continues to kill
hatching fleas for 7 months by preventing their development into
adults. The fogger reaches fleas (and other insects) hidden in carpets,
rugs, drapes, upholstery, pet bedding, floor cracks and open cabinets.
Virbac Knockout Flea and Tick Room Fogger also kills cockroaches,
spiders, ants and ticks including deer ticks and other species that may
carry or transmit Lyme Disease.
Contains Pyrethrins, Permethrin, and an IGR (Insect Growth Regulator)
which is an insect juvenile hormone that prevents the pre-adult flea
from turning into an adult biting flea.
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3.
For your yard,
we recommend Adams Plus Flea
& Tick
Yard Spray. It contains permethrin, which as mentioned above
is the most effective non-toxic substance to get rid of fleas.
 |
Adams Plus Flea Tick Yard Spray -
32oz Bottle - $ 14.29
Adams Plus Flea and Tick Yard Spray with Permethrin kills and repels
fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, ants, crickets, and other insects on contact.
Adams Plus Flea and Tick Yard Spray with Permethrin comes as a
concentrate in a 32 oz bottle that dilutes to 36 gallons of spray. For
use around residential (home) areas only.
Apply with a hose-end sprayer
to lawns, trees, shrubs, roses, and flowers. Adams Plus Flea and Tick
Yard Spray with Permethrin can treat yards up to 5,000 square feet and
will last up to 4 weeks.
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See also Dog Skin Conditions and Disorders
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to Health & Wellness from Natural Flea
Control for Pets
Natural
Flea Control for Pets References
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